Thaddeus of Stepantsminda

Thaddeus of Stepantsminda (also known as Tata of Stepantsminda), one of the Assyrian Fathers. He arrived in Kartli from Antioch in the mid-6th century alongside John [Ioane] of Zedazeni. Initially, he resided at the Zedazeni Monastery. There, at the foot of Mount Zedazeni, he constructed a monastery. Subsequently, in a cave on Mount Tslevi, near present-day Kaspi, he is said to have founded the Stepantsminda Monastery, where he is buried. The construction of the Church of St. Stephen in Urbnisi is also attributed to him. He has been canonized as a saint. St. Thaddeus is commemorated on May 7 (20) among Saint John of Zedazeni and his twelve disciples.

 

Literature: კეკელიძე კ., ეტიუდები ძველი ქარ­თუ­ლი ლიტერატურის ისტორიიდან, [ტ.] 1, თბ., 1956; ჯავახი­შვი­ლი ივ., ქართველი ერის ისტორია, წგ. 1, თბ., 1979 (თხზ. თორმეტ ტომად, ტ. 1); ქართველ წმინდანთა ცხოვრებანი, თბ. – ათენი, 2003.

B. Lominadze